Threads of Change

In response to the intersecting problems of illiteracy, poverty, and lack of women's rights, Rubia created "Threads of Change" (ToC). We launched ToC in two provinces of Afghanistan, Nangarhar and Farah, in 2011. Click here for Fact Sheet highlighting ToC. For PDF

While participating in guided discussions with the aid of a
skilled facilitator, women learn how to embroider illustrations of the lessons promoting
family health and hygiene, women’s rights to education and voting, banning
child marriage, and women as conflict resolvers. Embroidering these images introduces basic information that
seclusion and illiteracy have blocked from their lives. Each participant
receives and brings home a booklet with a set of illustrations, each bearing a
different message, such as hand washing, breast -feeding, immunization, voting
rights and female literacy.

Targeted at non-literate women, "Threads of Change” communicates visually. For example, while embroidering a mother breastfeeding, women have
heard about its advantages over bottle-feeding for their babies’ health. Traditionally, a woman
holding a Koran, as in the illustration below of two fighting boys, signifies
the need for peace. While copying this design, the women absorb the importance
of resolving disputes through peaceful means.

While re-creating an image of children washing their hands –with soap, the women are poised to absorb the importance of using soap for good health and hygiene.

With funding from Dining for Women, Rubia's Afghan partner, Humanitarian Organization for Local Development (HOLD) will spread this innovative curriculum to 500 more women over the next 3 years.

Rubia is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to develop economic opportunities through craft heritage, to support education, and to promote health and well-being for women and their families in Afghanistan, Mali, and elsewhere.